In this digital age, video calling has become extremely commonplace. While it can be a great way to stay connected with friends and family, there may be times when you want to block video calls for privacy or to reduce distractions. Luckily, blocking video calls is easy to do on most devices and platforms.
On an iPhone
If you have an iPhone, you can block FaceTime calls completely or block calls from specific people.
Block All FaceTime Calls
To disable FaceTime and block all video calls:
- Open the Settings app
- Tap on FaceTime
- Toggle the FaceTime switch off
This will prevent any FaceTime audio or video calls from coming through. You can toggle FaceTime back on at any time to re-enable video calls.
Block Specific Contacts
To block video calls from specific people in your contacts:
- Open the Phone app
- Tap on the contact you want to block
- Scroll down and toggle ‘FaceTime’ off
Repeat these steps for each contact you want to block from FaceTiming you. This will allow calls and messages from those contacts but block any video call attempts.
On an Android Phone
The process is similar for Android devices using the Google Duo app for video calls.
Disable Google Duo
To completely disable Google Duo and block all video calls:
- Open the Duo app
- Tap More > Settings
- Toggle ‘Disable Duo’ on
This prevents any Duo calls from coming through until you toggle it off again.
Block Contacts
To block specific contacts:
- Open the Contacts app
- Select the contact you want to block
- Tap More > Block contact
Repeat for each contact you want to block from video calling you. Calls and messages will still go through normally.
On Windows Computers
For Windows PCs, you can use Skype for video calls. Here’s how to disable Skype or block contacts:
Turn Off Skype Video Calls
To disable Skype video calling completely:
- Open Skype
- Click your profile picture > Settings
- Uncheck ‘Turn on video’
This will disable video calling for your account until you re-enable it.
Block Skype Contacts
To block specific contacts from video calling you:
- Select the contact in your Skype contacts list
- Click More options > Block contact
Repeat for each contact you want to block. They will no longer be able to video call you.
On Mac Computers
On Macs, you can use the FaceTime app for video calls. Here’s how to block FaceTime.
Disable FaceTime
To turn off FaceTime completely:
- Go to System Preferences > FaceTime
- Deselect ‘FaceTime’ to disable it
This prevents all FaceTime calls until you re-enable it.
Block Contacts
To block specific contacts from FaceTiming you:
- Open Contacts
- Select the contact you want to block
- Uncheck ‘FaceTime’ to block them
Repeat for each contact you want to block from video calls while allowing other communication.
In Facebook Messenger
If you want to block Facebook Messenger video calls from specific people:
- Open the conversation with that contact
- Tap their name at the top
- Scroll down and toggle ‘Video Calling’ off
This stops them from being able to start a video call with you in Messenger.
In WhatsApp
To block WhatsApp video calls from certain contacts:
- Open the chat with that contact
- Tap More options > View contact
- Tap ‘Video call’ to uncheck it
Repeat this for each contact you want to block video calls from while still allowing other WhatsApp communication.
On Zoom
If you want to block someone from video calling you on Zoom:
- Sign in to the Zoom web portal
- Click Contacts on the left sidebar
- Hover over the contact and click More > Block Contact
This will prevent them from being able to initiate a Zoom call with you. Repeat for any other contacts you want to block.
On Microsoft Teams
To block someone from video calling you in Microsoft Teams:
- Open Teams and go to your contacts
- Hover over the contact and click More options > Block contact
This prevents them from calling or messaging you. Repeat for any other contacts you want to block in Teams.
Turning Off Notifications
Another option is to leave video calling enabled but turn off notifications so you aren’t disturbed by call requests. Here’s how for some popular apps:
| App | How to Turn Off Video Call Notifications |
|---|---|
| FaceTime (iPhone) | Settings > FaceTime > Toggle ‘FaceTime Notifications’ off |
| Google Duo (Android) | Open Duo > Tap account icon > Notifications > Toggle off |
| Skype (Windows/Mac) | Click your profile picture > Settings > Notifications > Uncheck ‘Incoming call’ |
| Facebook Messenger | Open the app > Tap your profile pic > Privacy settings > Turn off ‘Video & Audio Calls’ |
| Settings > Notifications > Uncheck ‘Video & audio calls’ |
This way you won’t get notifications about call requests but callers can still leave a voicemail that you can listen to later.
Conclusion
In summary, you have a few options to block video calls on any device or platform:
- Turn off video calling capabilities completely
- Block individual contacts from video calling
- Disable notifications for video call requests
The specific steps depend on the app or device OS, but the general process is similar. With these tips, you can easily take control over video calling and block it when needed for privacy, reduced distractions, or any other personal reasons.